Huizhou delegation visits Samoa College

A delegation from Huizhou Municipality of Guangdong Province of China visited Samoa College on Friday.

The delegation included the Secretary of C.R.C. Huizhou Committee and Chairman of N.P.C. Huizhou Standing Committee and Chairman of N.P.C. Huizhou Standing Committee, Chen Yiwei.

The visit aims to strengthen ties between the City of Huizhou and their sister college, Samoa College. The delegation visited the college’s computer lab which was funded by Huizhou City.

After taking a tour of the school, a ceremonial planting of a tree on the school grounds commenced to symbolise the ongoing and growing relationship between Huizhou City and Samoa College.

Chairman of the Samoa College Board and Associate Minister of the Ministry of Communications and information Technology, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi said the help would put the college closer to becoming the first digital college in the Pacific.

“We are honoured that you would be able to visit us during a special year as we celebrate 65 years of the college and planting of the tree is significant of our friendship as it continues, especially with the computer lab because we have planned to make Samoa College the first digital college in the Pacific Region” said Lealailepule.

“We have already submitted our formal request with our friend the ambassador so hopefully you can consider working together to achieve this milestone for the school and its students.”

Leala told the Sunday Samoan the college has a special relationship with Huizhou City for a number of years and that they were honoured that they made a special visit.

“We feel very honoured and privileged for them to come and help the school move forward.”

Samoa College students have benefited from a number of student exchanges to Huizhou City and Lealailepule said they have been very generous in terms of strengthening their digital and sporting areas at the school.”

“We’ve been having this sister college relationship for years back and they have been inviting our students to come over and every year we send some over.

They’ve been helping us a lot especially since they built a computer lab and provided the computers.

“That’s why they had to include Samoa College into their schedule so they can have a look at what they helped us with over the years and the way forward. So that’s why we had this tree planting for friendship and they have committed to helping us especially in the area of digital and sports.”

Lealailepule said China has been very generous to the Pacific especially, Samoa and that it was good that they were looking at a grassroots level when it comes to education and developing future leaders.

The visit was timed with the opening of the Faleolo International Airport. The delegation from the city of Huizhou also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Arts and Culture Project and Friendship Project yesterday.

These two projects are funded by Huizhou Municipality of Guangdong Province of the People’s Republic of China following cooperation established between the city of Huizhou and the Government of Samoa in 2015.